Pune Warriors succumbed to the tournament’s whipping boys, Deccan Chargers, batting them out of the match for the second time in less than a week. It wasn’t a flawless win for the Chargers’ though, as their ground fielding and catching continued to look sloppy. Their saviour was an explosive stand of 157 between the two experienced hands – Cameron White and Kumar Sangakkara – which took them to 186. The Warriors slumped to their third consecutive loss and remained third from bottom in the points table.
The experienced hands of Kumar Sangakkara and Cameron White gave Deccan Chargers an imposing score of 186 to defend with some power hitting in the last eight overs against Pune Warriors.
Chargers got off to a poor start when they lost Parthiv Patel first ball, dragging Marlon Samuels onto his off stump. Cameron White said after their previous defeat that the lack of meaningful contributions from the Indian players was bringing the team down, and the script didn’t change at the top. Shikhar Dhawan, who has been consistent this season, got going again today but flattered to deceive after trying to swing Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, losing his middle stump.
The pressure increased on the inconsistent White and out-of-form Sangakkara, who brought himself back after sitting out the last match. The first ten overs was a slow and steady build for the Chargers, who struggled to get the run-rate above six. Sourav Ganguly brought himself on in that period to take further pace off the ball on a slow pitch, making batting all the more difficult.
Sangakkara didn’t look convincing at the start, playing and missing and also getting an under-edge off a drive. Chargers managed only five boundaries in the first nine overs, before a straight six by White off Murali Kartik in the tenth over gave the Warriors a sign of things to come.
It was as if the Chargers began on a fresh slate. The run-rate began creeping over six after the 12th over, the point from which Chargers took control. The 15th over was Sangakkara’s turning point in this tournament as he smashed four boundaries off Samuels. He lofted inside out over extra cover, edged to third man, smashed one over the bowler’s head and swept past short fine leg.
Sangakkara brought up his fifty the following over with a chip to short fine leg after which he pumped his fists. Ganguly, who had conceded 15 off two overs, brought himself back on to stem the runs but it turned out to be a tactical blunder as his meaty offerings cost the Warriors 25 runs. White slogged three consecutive sixes over the on side before clipping one to fine leg for four, in the process outscoring Sangakkara.
Sangakkara then took on Nehra, showing the confidence to innovate by shuffling at the crease and fetching four boundaries, including two sixes. Attempted yorkers turned into friendly full tosses, which Sangakkara pounded over the leg side. Chargers ransacked 50 off two overs before the pair fell off successive deliveries. They smashed 95 off the last six overs and gave themselves a shot at beating the Warriors for the second time.
Scores: Deccan Chargers 186 for 4 (Sangakkara 82, White 74) beat Pune Warriors 173 for 5 (Smith 47*, Ganguly 45) by 13 runs.
